Love for Christmas
by Fizzy Starburst
Summary: Shortly after the events of Merry Larry, a pivotal event transpires between Phillip Fleagle and Mrs. Netterbaum. Bobberry.


Phillip Fleagle may have been well into his mid thirties, but he wasn't about to let that stop his flirtatious charm. He was a geek in high school, and if he was being entirely honest, he was pretty geeky in university, too. But now? He was a fairly attractive, successful man who was good with words. And besides, there was no harm in a little playful flirting once in a while.

He first started to notice women really latching on to him when he started at the Spring Valley Mall. It was only a temporary position, but he could see the way Emma or Suzie would light up when he'd offer a hello. Now that he had been offered the permanent, full time position of manager of community outreach, he could see the pair blush and begin to giggle more now than ever.

In all honesty, he kind of liked it. The extra attention was nice. There was a special kind of bubbly feeling in his stomach from knowing the feeling his attention gave them. Because it was the same feeling he received around one Mrs. Carol Netterbaum. She was about five years his senior, and through means unbeknownst to him, she had him hook, line, and sinker.

In high school, all the girls he wanted were unattainable. Popular cheerleader types who would never glance his way. He thought that by now he might've been able to scoot away from that. But this – this was so much worse. _Mrs._ Carol Netterbaum. She was married. Talk about unattainable.

He knew his desire was immoral, but he found himself incapable of resisting. Especially in moments like this, when she all but pressed flush against him, straightening his tie. She often did things like this, not bothering to ask for permission before getting dangerously close to him in order to help 'groom' him. He gulped, trying to not focus entirely on her chest, as she had unbuttoned the top two buttons of her blouse for the sole purpose – he was certain – of watching him squirm. "Hmm, manager of community outreach. Guess you'll be around the mall on a more permanent basis now."

Her hand lingered on his chest, and he was certain she could feel how rapidly his heart was beating. Her eyes cast coyly on the floor, she smirked. The chemistry was undeniable – it had been undeniable from the first interview, really. "You better get used to seeing my face more often, cause it's not about to go anywhere."

"And what of Reggie, hmm?" she asked, still touching his chest, still not looking at him.

Chuckling, Phillip explained. "Oh, Reggie's heading back. Got a wife back home who needed him back by Christmas anyhow."

"And what about you, hmm?" she questioned, finally breaking her gaze from the floor as she raised and eyebrow while making eye contact. Her hands were moving slowly from his chest to higher body parts, stopping momentarily to rest them on his shoulders, before ultimately wrapping her arms around his neck, albeit loosely. "I should hope there isn't a _Mrs_. Fleagle…what with how highly Emma and Suzie seem to think of you…"

He wasn't sure what she was doing. He wasn't sure what angle she was trying to work. And that was terrifying him. "No, I mean, after you got scooped up, _Mrs_. Netterbaum, I'd dare say all of the best women were taken." He laughed awkwardly, lacking his usual confident stamina. She did have a way of stripping him of that. "Mr. Netterbaum sure hit the jackpot with you."

Suddenly, her eyes dropped again. Very quietly – uncharacteristic for her, he noticed – she dropped a bomb. "He did. Until he passed away fifteen years ago."

"Oh." Phillip wasn't able to say much more than that. He wasn't sure what to say back to that. "I'm, uh, sorry to hear that."

"He was sick. He was sick when we were married. I…I knew what I was marrying into. I loved him. I don't regret anything." She explained. Her voice was sort of…numb. Dull. Lacking emotion. Phillip found it disconcerting. Truthfully, she had explained the situation time and time again, and while she had loved her husband, it had been fifteen years, and she had made peace with it. At this point, she was tired of having to explain it. Especially when she had some other explicit intentions. Switching the topic back to where she wanted it, she then asked "May I ask you a question, Mr. Fleagle?"

He nodded, feeling as though in that moment, he'd do just about anything she'd ask of him. "Of course. Anything."

Her hands travelled back down to his chest once more as she looked him in the eye "Why do you flirt with every girl in the mall but me?"

He was stunned in silence for a moment. "I…" he tried, his voice getting caught in his throat. "I thought you were married! I…I wouldn't make advances on a married woman!"

She dropped her hands and took a step back, casting him an incredulous look. "Oh? Then what, pray tell, has all of this been?" she smirked, crossing her arms in the process.

"Wha…" he trailed off, he had no real response. She had him. He realized, she probably had him right where she wanted him. Squirming. A worm on her hook. And then, suddenly, he thought of his loophole "So this _is_ something, then?"

"Of course it is!" she cried dramatically, throwing both of her arms in the air. "I don't act like this with everyone, you know! I barely tolerated Reggie for your sake!"

"Hey!" he cried, suddenly mildly offended "Reggie's my best friend!"

"And he was constantly hitting on me!" she cried, tossing her head back dramatically. "He was married and he assumed so it was nothing _serious_ but it was _exhausting_."

Smirking lightly, Phillip cocked an eyebrow as he ventured cheekily "So what you're saying is you'd rather I had been the one hitting on you incessantly?"

"_Maaaayyybbbbeeee…."_

Still smirking, Phillip Fleagle suddenly had all his flirtatious confidence restored as he grabbed her waist and pulled her closer. The smirk was dropped in favor of a genuine smile as he whispered "Merry Christmas, Carol." before finally kissing the woman he'd been attracted to since day one.

While the new couple didn't hear, a certain self-proclaimed elf could be heard asking "Did someone say Christmas Carol?!"


End file.
